World page: Return of the sun-eating dragon This digital photo taken on November 4, 2003, with NASA’s extreme imaging telescope aboard the SOHO satellite shows the most powerful solar flare ever by orbiting instruments, according to the space agency. — AP/PTI

SC agrees to reconsider HPCL judgement
New Delhi, November 17
For the first time, the Supreme Court today agreed to have a fresh look at its recent judgement on HPCL and BPCL sell-off cases holding that the privatisation of PSUs created by legislation required the prior approval of Parliament.

Singer Bindrakhia dead
Mohali, November 17
Internationally renowned Punjabi folk singer Surjeet Bindrakhia (43) died in his sleep at his residence here early this morning. The singer was suffering from a health problem for almost an year now and was said to have died of a heart attack.

Chandigarh Tribune: Bindrakhia’s neighbour remembers him

Panchayat Secretaries reinstated
Chandigarh, November 17
As many as 470 Panchayat Secretaries will be given appointment letters by the Punjab Panchayati Raj and Rural Development Minister, Mrs Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, at a function here tomorrow.

Pak ready for talks under Simla pact Islamabad, November 17 Pakistan said today that it was ready to talk to India to resolve Kashmir and other outstanding issues under the Simla Agreement and the Lahore Declaration. Referring to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s remarks in interviews to Syrian newspapers that the Kashmir issue should be solved bilaterally through the Simla accord, Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Masood Khan said his country had “no problem with it either.”